Julie Budd

Budd began her singing career at the age of 12, taking the stage for amateur night at the Tamarack resort camp in the Catskills.[3] There she was spotted by producer Herb Bernstein, who became her personal manager and arranger. He continued to work with her through the next thirty years.[7] After signing a contract for personal management, he also had her record a demo, signed her to a three-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and sent her to a voice coach.[4] One of Bernstein's employees suggested her new stage name.[1] Budd appeared on the Merv Griffin Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, The Carol Burnett Show and The Jim Nabors Hour.[8][9] In 1968 she released the LP Child of Plenty on the MGM label and became a regular on the NBC TV summer series Showcase '68.[1]

Appearing at Caesars Palace at the age of 16, Budd became the youngest opening act for Frank Sinatra.[7] She told the Chicago Sun-Times that she learned the "theatrical side of singing" by observing Sinatra:

"Frank would set up a chair for me in the wings when I was done singing and I'd watch his show every night from there. Then he'd come off and ask me for observations. And he was totally serious about it. One night I asked him about all the tape marks all over the floor when he sang. And he asked the lighting guy to bring up the lights one by one and I saw how they 'hit the marks'. Frank just walked over to me and explained how lighting will enhance musical moments".[7]

She began singing in nightclubs at age 18.[10] She became a frequent performer in Las Vegas, often supporting Sinatra, Liberace, George Burns, or Bob Hope.[11] She also sang at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and Atlantic City.[2]

She performed the title song for the 1972 film Living Free, which played over the opening credits.[12] In 1976 she reached #93 in the charts with the song "One Fine Day", one of her biggest hits.[1] In 1979 she performed on Broadway in They're Playing Our Song.[8] A 1981 New York Magazine article noted that she had "sung in public for 15 of her 27 years", and "almost had the lead in Evita on Broadway".[13]

In November 1991 she teamed with Burns again to put on a benefit performance to raise funds for the Children's Hospital of Orange County.[14] She performs at the annual fundraiser of the Schultz-Hill Foundation, founded in 2002 in Atlantic City.[2] At the 2004 NYSSBA Annual Convention Preview Convention she performed the songs of Barbra Streisand,[15] with whom she is often compared.[7][10] On October 22 and 23, 2004, she performed Streisand classics in a tribute program, "The Barbra Streisand Songbook", created by Marvin Hamlisch.[8][16]

Budd continues to perform mainly in the New York City area and Las Vegas. She released the albums Pure Imagination (1997) and If You Could See Me Now (2000),[11] and to commemorate Sinatra's centenary on December 12, 2015, she has released an album, Remembering Mr. Sinatra.[17] She also teaches master classes in singing.[8]

In acting, Budd is associated with the Circle Repertory Theater and Playwright's Horizons of New York City.[11] She starred in the 1981 Walt Disney film The Devil and Max Devlin as a 19-year-old high school dropout and aspiring singer. Budd has stated that "having the opportunity to work for the Disney Company was a life changer for me. At Disney they always do it right".[1]